September 20, 2007

Cabinet shelves eKesihatan, wants EPU to coordinate

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: The Cabinet has decided to shelve the eKesihatan health screening to enable the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) to coordinate the implementation of the programme, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said.
“The Cabinet has decided that in the best interest of the programme, it should be temporarily postponed as this kind of privatisation project should be referred to the EPU.
“The EPU will then coordinate the implementation (of the programme) with the various government agencies, including the Health Ministry, for the screening of commercial vehicle drivers,” he said.
Road Transport Department (JPJ) director-general Datuk Ahmad Mustapha Abdul Rashid had said in a statement earlier that the Cabinet had decided to postpone the programme, which was scheduled to kick off on Oct 1.
“I do not know the details (of the decision). The Minister (Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy) is not around, so I don’t know the details apart from the statement that I have been asked to make,” he said.
On Sept 10, JPJ announced the implementation of eKesihatan, whereby commercial vehicle drivers were to be tested for drug abuse under a medical check-up scheme when they renewed their licence or applied for a new one.
The move would have affected more than 700,000 holders of public services vehicle, goods driving and conductor licences.
The scheme was aimed to ensure that only medically fit drivers were behind the wheel of commercial vehicles.
Under the scheme, the results would be electronically transmitted to JPJ via a government-appointed gateway provider, Supremme Systems Sdn Bhd, while payment and registration for the tests would have to be done at post offices before a driver proceeded to the appointed panel clinic.
Those applying or renewing their licences were to pay RM80 for the test.
However, the scheme drew protests from doctors, the Malaysian Medical Council, and owners and drivers of commercial vehicles nationwide.
They claimed the fees were exorbitant and questioned the appointment of Supremme Systems as they felt that such a scheme did not need a third party to operate.
Chan, who is Transport Minister, is in Canada to help Malaysia get elected as a council member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.